Sweet Smudge

[Sundance]

Stunning Smudge, you are such a beautiful calico/tortoiseshell kitty! I love your colors and the way they are blended (smudged!) together. You look so cool and ready for playtime in the photo where you are lying next to the pumpkin. Your kitten pictures are adorable, all wide-eyed innocence and sweetness Are you looking for your present from Santa Paws in the first Christmas photo? You really took over the tree once you were given full run of the house. What fun!

It's great that your family could look beyond your feral past and give you a chance. They really love you! They have taken time to leash-train you and they let you play in the water until your heart's content! I'm so happy you found your forever home after such a rough start as a feral kitten! Thank you to your family for picking you out and taking good care of you. You have grown into a beautiful cat, both inside and out

Happy Cat of the Day to you, Smudge! I hope you have many more special days waiting for you!

[Marigold2]

What a cutie pie. You are so beautiful and fun loving. Kisses Smudge

[susanswatlin518]

OH AREN'T YOU THE PERFECT COLORS OF AUTUMN? YOU SURE MATCH THE PUMPKIN PERFECTLY! I THINK THESE PICTURES ARE GREAT-ESPECIALLY THE ONE UNDER THE TREE! REMEMBER THE OLD DAYS WHEN -IF YOU WERE LIKE ME-FAMILY TREES WERE COVERED WITH TINSEL? THOSE WERE THE DAYS- AS YOU KNOW-CATS AND TINSEL AREN'T A GOOD MATCH DUE TO THE CHOKING DANGER. ANYWAY- SMUDGE-YOU ARE A SWEET-LOOKING YOUNG LADY-AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY HALLOWEEN-BEST WISHES FROM AN UPSTATE NY CAT LADY! SUSANSWATLIN518

[columbine]

Dear Smudge, you are as lovely as a perfect October day! I'm so glad you found such a perfect forever home.

Though you're barely full-grown and I'm sneaking up on my 15th birthday, though your hair is short and mine long, and though you're a girl and I'm a boy, it warms my heart to know we share more than phenomenal luck.

Love, Smudge ;-3

[karlyb]

Oh Smudge, what a cute, furry little kitten you were! I bet you thought the Christmas was put up in your honor. LOL. You have grown into a beautiful young lady cat and give much joy and love to your family. Smudge, you are a great COTD and I hope you have many more years with your family who love you so much.

[Momo]

What a lovely lively girl you are! Your pictures are too cute - kitten and adulthood!
Enjoy your COTD, and stay out of the Christmas tree - lol!

[jjsydney]

A friend who reads Cat/Dog/Pet of the Day daily put me onto Smudge's wonderful story, and I'm letting Smudge's folks and admirers know that Smudge has a sister cat in Sydney, young Bobbi aged one this week.

Bobbi is not only a doppelganger for Smudge (except her face pattern colours are on the reverse side), she ALSO shares Smudge's love of and fascination with water...along with a large percentage of other tortoiseshell cats, judging by the feedback on tortoiseshell cat websites I have read.

Bobbi races from anywhere in the house or garden to watch me turn on a kitchen tap - is fascinated by water going down the drain - and often gets so carried around with swirling her drinking bowl water around (she takes it in turn to swirl it with her front paws) that the kitchen ends with more water on the floor than in the bowls...she also loves hot weather water soaks!

Another trait that a lot of tortoiseshell (torti) cats seem to share is a love of fetching and retrieving objects...I have had other (non-torti) cats who have done this but none got close to Bobbi's obsession with this form of play.

Bobbi is named after her wonderful rescuer "Big" Bob, who with his wife Tara shares their Sydney home with three children and a tribe of rescue cats, a rescue Sheltie dog, various fish and until recently rats and rabbits. Bob discovered Bobbi cowering under a bush in the suburban gardens where he works. She was spotted there two days previously but she had been too frightened to come out. However Bob - who animals adore - coaxed her out!

The miracle is that this happened two days after I'd returned home from an overnight trip to find my beloved 15 yo cat Benny just passed away on the loungeroom floor (he was still warm!) and Tyson, his 13yo buddy, in shock. I was uncertain whether to take Bobbi in (I knew she would be found a good home) but her attitude to the house and Tyson was so relaxed I - and all who knew Benny - are convinced she was Benny reincarnated.

Tyson adored her from the start, even grooming and "mothering" her within a day of her arrival, and allowing her to shadow his every move.

I should have called her "Flash" or "Streak" though, as she is the most energetic cat I have ever been owned by - also one of the most affectionate not only to me but to all our vistors. But I also understand why vets call them "Naughty Torties", although she has only broken one $5 vase while innocently flower sniffing...I prefer to think she has 'tortitude' instead!

I would have posted a pic for Smudge to look at, except I couldn't figure out how...anyway hello Smudge and thankyou for Smudge's humans for taking a chance and gaining themselves a truly wonderful feline companion!